SOFTBALL: Red Lion outslugs Dallastown

RED LION -- Kelsey Collins or not, the Red Lion softball team figured it had to keep executing the fundamentals that have made the Lions so successful this season to beat Dallastown on Wednesday afternoon.

"Since I've taken over here, this is my third year now, we've always been able to hit," Red Lion coach Troy Eveler said. "We struggled more with our defense. We had some miscues today but we've gotten better at our defense than how we used to be."

The host Lions got plenty of offense, made quite a few outstanding defensive plays and got just enough pitching to beat Dallastown, 16-10, on Wednesday. It avenged a 7-6 loss to Dallastown earlier in the year.

"At the beginning of the game I was like 'It's just gonna be like last game. Back and forth,'" said Kelsey Clever, one of five Red Lion seniors. "(Dallastown) ended up winning by one (the last game). It motivated us to come out and play harder this time."

With the win, Red Lion (8-2 division, 10-3 overall) moved into a three-way tie for first place in York-Adams Division I with Dallastown (8-2, 11-3) and Central York (8-2, 11-2).

Dallastown, meanwhile, has now lost back-to-back league games after starting the year 8-0 in league competition. To make matters worse, Collins is currently dealing with an injury to her right triceps.

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Collins, who led Dallastown to the District 3-AAAA title game last season, didn't see action Wednesday. She instead sat in the dugout with her right throwing elbow being supported in a sling. She'll undergo a magnetic resonance image (MRI) Thursday to determine if there is a tear to her triceps.

"She's had pain in her arm for quite awhile and thought it would go away, so she's just gonna go and get it checked out," Dallastown coach Jeff Deardorff said.

With Collins out, Red Lion took advantage by collecting 16 runs on 15 hits and two walks off of Dallastown junior pitcher Kayla Merriman, who tossed six innings. The Wildcats' five errors didn't help their cause, though, as six of Red Lion's runs were unearned because of defensive miscues.

"We have to regroup and keep playing hard and keep scoring a lot of runs and play a little bit better defense," Deardorff said. "Red Lion hit the ball hard but we gave them some plays, too."

Red Lion, which returned all eight starting position players and two starting pitchers this season, took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning before Dallastown struck back with a six-run second inning. Red Lion kept attacking, though, scoring two runs in the second inning and another in the third before a nine-run fourth inning put them ahead for good, 13-6.

All but one Red Lion batter got a hit and five had multiple hits, led by Clever (3-for-3, two RBIs, four runs scored) and Ali Posey (3-for-5, RBI, three runs scored). Clever, a shortstop, and Posey, a left fielder, also combined for eight put-outs in the field, including two diving grabs by Posey.

"We're always confident," Eveler said. "Once we got our defense straightened out, we feel like we can compete with anybody if we play good defense. We can hit, knock on wood."

Pitcher Katie Schultz got the win for Red Lion despite allowing 13 hits and walking five with one strikeout in seven innings of work.

SOFTBALL

EASTERN YORK 6, LIT TLESTOWN 5: At Wrightsville, Grace Divet's single in the bottom of the seventh drove home Sierra Arnold from second to break a 6-6 tie and clinch the York-Adams Division III victory for the Golden Knights. Divet, Arnold and Lauren Reichard were each 2-for-4. Teammate Lauren Miller hit a double. For the Thunderbolts, Katlin Yealy went 3-for-4, including a double, while Nicole Snider went 2-for-4 with a double. Vicky Skillman hit a two-run homer in the second and also doubled. Eastern improved to 8-2 in the division and 8-6 overall. The Golden Knights face division leader Kennard-Dale on Thursday in Wrightsville.

NORTHEASTERN 7, YORK SUBURBAN 5: At Manchester, the Bobcats trailed 5-4 entering the bottom of the sixth, when they plated three runs to take the lead for good. Caitlyn Reinoehl led the Bobcats by hitting a triple and picking up two RBIs. Katelynn Reed hit a double and also picked up two RBIs for Northeastern, while pitcher Maddie Renard picked up the complete-game victory on the mound, striking out a season-high seven. For the Trojans, Emmy Turybury went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while teammates Britt Dalton and Jenn Lloyd each went 2-for-4.

CENTRAL YORK 13, NEW OXFORD 5: At New Oxford, Taylor Rohrbaugh belted three doubles, drove in four runs and scored two runs, while also getting the win on the mound for Central. Rohrbaugh pitched a complete game, striking out 10, walking three and allowing four earned runs. Sarah Groft tripled twice, scored two runs and drove in two runs for New Oxford. Central improved to 11-2 overall and 8-2 in York-Adams Division I.

SPRING GROVE 9, DOVER 5: At Spring Grove, the Rockets trailed 5-4 going into the fourth, when Hayley Norton connected for a two-run homer off the left-field foul pole to give her team the lead for good. Norton also connected for a solo homer in the first and picked up four RBIs for the game. Teammate Nikki Filbey went 1-for-1, including two runs scored. For the Eagles, Alyssa Lawnton went 4-for-5, while Jordan Baum and Megan Goodman each went 2-for-4. Spring Grove improved to 8-2 in York-Adams Division II and 10-4 overall.

YORK CATHOLIC 13, YORK TECH 2 (FIVE IN NINGS): At Spry, York Catholic put together two four-run innings and a three-run inning en route to the Division IV victory. Liz Lynch delivered three hits, including two triples, for the Fighting Irish, and Arianna Sindelar supplied two hits. Alexis Boie and Tori Warns had doubles for York Tech. Amanda Summers earned the victory for York Catholic. Summers, who allowed five hits, struck out two and walked two.

SUSQUEHANNOCK 24, BERMUDIAN SPRINGS 12: At York Springs, Lily Yoakum and Madi Shockey each cracked two homers and drove in five runs for the Warriors. Each Warriors starter had at least one hit. Morgan Williams had four hits and six RBIs for Bermudian, which has given up 62 runs in its last two games.